From the Editor

From the Editor
Dear Economy

By Alison Embrey Medina, Executive Editor
November 24, 2009

Dear Economy,

I feel you might think it tawdry for me to begin this correspondence with the traditional “How are you?”—as we both know the answer to that question, don’t we? I am well aware it has been a trying year, and rest assured we are all pulling for you in your hour of weakness. I just wanted to drop a note to check in and keep you up to speed with our goings-on. Please indulge the arcane letter writing—I felt a text or tweet wouldn’t quite do the conversation justice.

What a year it has been, Economy. Isn’t it odd how, thanks to you, we now use the terms “pre-recession” and “post-recession” on a daily basis? The past 12-16 months have produced this black hole of swallowing infinity, eating away at everything we have come to know as “normal” in our everyday lives. The stock market is a shell of its former self, the financial industry is still climbing out of the rubble, and the retail industry is holding on for dear life. The future is, well, a little less predictable now, isn’t it?

But I have news for you, old friend. While the retail design industry has most definitely been shaken to its core, we are holding strong and—with the right people making the right decisions at the right times—are forging ahead. Designers, store planners and visual merchandisers have been called on to stretch every last ounce of sales potential out of retailers’ existing stores through every trick—old or new—they have in the book. As our friend Brad Lenz from Juicy Couture puts it: “The post-recession market place gives us the opportunity for experimentation with presentation and assortment. Last year’s selling has become a poor predictor of this year’s sales potential.” There’s that word again—post-recession. Hope to see you there soon.

Our magazine’s recent State of the Retail Design Industry Survey (see page 22) proves the industry is in fact holding strong. More than 72 percent of respondents said that the retail design industry will be much or somewhat stronger in the next five years. Who would have guessed?! While store expansion and full renovations may not be top of mind for most retailers, there is definitely an impetus for experimentation, whether it be pop-up retail, rebranding, testing new concepts, updating the merchandising mix through creative presentations or simply rethinking how the store is laid out. As one survey respondent wrote in: “There is a revitalization of existing spaces with stronger emphasis on entertaining customers with color, humor and quality in focused displays—a traditional approach, but more emphasis.”

And isn’t this an interesting tidbit: when we asked our respondents if their company has done enough to prepare for or adjust to the new consumer mindset, the overwhelming majority of responses fell somewhere in the lines of “time will tell,” “we hope so,” and “who knows.” The answers are not surprising, Economy, as you well know that no one truly understands what you will do tomorrow (you’re so fickle!), next month or even next year. We are simply preparing for the question mark ahead in whatever way we know how.

You may have us down, but please do not count us out. We are an industry of right-brain creative thinkers with left-brain business sensibilities. And, we are just getting started. But I do admit, we could use your help. Get well soon, my friend.

P.S. I would like my 401(k) back please.

Yours truly,

Alison Embrey Medina
Executive Editor
aembrey@ddimagazine.com